drug addiction

It Keeps Expanding Four new tents popped up near the skate bowl over the weekend at Hubbard Homestead Park (@SeattleParks, @SeattleShines) bringing the grand total to 19. This homeless encampment is on the city’s radar, but there is no timeline yet on when it will be removed. Neighbors and local biz owners say it’s become a blight on the Northgate community. Along with the overwhelming use of fentanyl, some of the campers are also being blamed for thefts in the area. Someone went on the Nextdoor app and claimed a tent was being used to run a meth lab. Of course I had to check it out. Otherwise, everyone living here was super accommodating and wanted me to tell their Read More ›

Rapid Reaction #Seattle is joining a growing list of local jurisdictions in WA trying to come up with it’s own drug laws after the state legislature FAILED to fix the one expiring this summer. Thursday morning, #Seattle City Attorney Ann Davison (@_Ann_Davison_)introduced legislation that would ban open air drug use(meth, fentanyl, etc) in public places, making it a misdemeanor. Councilmembers Sara Nelson (@CMSaraNelson) and Alex Pedersen sponsored the bill. Right after the press conference, I went straight to one of the most notorious drug dens in the city(#Chinatown-ID) to get reaction. As you can imagine, it was not well received among the drug users and addicts. Lots of indifference. NO FEAR of police. But if the bill passes, it’s at Read More ›

Same Scene in Little Saigon There is no doubt the encampment sweeps on WSDOT (@WSDOT) properties in #Chinatown-ID have made a huge difference. No more tents or encampment fires. But the drug dealers, addicts, and the open air black market continues to thrive at bus stops along 12th Ave. in Little Saigon this weekend. Mayor Bruce Harrell (@MayorofSeattle) said this neighborhood would also be getting police emphasis patrols like 3rd Ave & Pike St. in the downtown core. But nothing is changing. The issues just ebb and flow. I know virtually all the regulars out here. But the concern now, there are so many NEW FACES of addiction coming into this area. Councilmember Kshama Sawant (@cmkshama) reps Little Saigon and Read More ›

Nothing Has Changed I spent hours in downtown #Seattle on Saturday to see the illicit activity ebb and flow. This is the first weekend since Mayor Bruce Harrell (@mayorofseattle) announced his Downtown Activation Plan to clean up this mess. Most of the action is still concentrated at 3rd Ave & Pike St. near the Ross Store (@Ross_Stores.) But police emphasis patrols are now scattering drug addicts and dealers to other streets. The vestibules of empty store fronts remain popular spots to do fentanyl. Folks continue to use public transportation (@SoundTransit, @KingCountyMetro) to move stolen merchandise back and forth on to the streets. The black market is thriving and it’s a free for all. I also witnessed two men being saved Read More ›

Jonathan Choe joins Fox & Friends to discuss Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell’s plan to reactivate downtown and address the drug crisis.

Downtown Disaster Right after my segment about #Seattle‘s drug crisis aired Saturday evening with Dan Bongino (@UnfilteredOnFox), I did my weekly check in on 3rd Ave in downtown. Without fail, addicts were using meth and fentanyl in front of children and all the tourists. I saw tranq fentanyl wounds on users. One young man even overdosed! Once again I had to offer my NARCAN which I carry all the time. But thankfully, Seattle Police (@SeattlePD) officers had some on hand and saved his life. Next week, Mayor Bruce Harrell (@MayorofSeattle) will issue an Executive Order addressing the fentanyl and synthetic drug crisis. We’re also expecting a preview of the Downtown Activation Plan. But will this be enough to take back Read More ›

Volunteers have been working to move people living in tents outside Burien City Hall into shelter. But they tell me that only a few accepted the offer. Most simply moved down the street to a new plot of land. Murphy Shaw and Joseph Riverson are with Hope Christian Community Church, one of several ministries helping these homeless men and women. “We’re gonna be here, we’re gonna keep ministering to them,” Riverson told me. As frustrated neighbors and business owners sharply critiqued city leaders at a council meeting for being unprepared for the growth of this new encampment, Riverson decided to take action. “I’m pitching a tent right here,” said Riverson, who is trying to build trust and relationships in the Read More ›

Horrifying Discovery For the past few months, I have been following We Heart Seattle (@weheartseattle) founder Andrea Suarez (@weheartfounder) and her volunteers across #Seattle as they clean up this city and try to save homeless men and women living on the streets. But this past week, I was out of pocket when Suarez discovered the decomposing body of a 54 year old man in a tent right next to @TMobilePark as the @Mariners were getting ready for the season opener. Sunday afternoon, I went back to finally see where this all happened. Suarez says this must be a wake up call for this entire city and a call to action. @GovInslee @kcexec @MayorofSeattle @seattlecouncil @KCCouncil @CMTammyMorales @CMSaraNelson @CMTMosqueda @D5Juarez @KC_RHA